1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to the field of computers, and in particular to high speed interconnections in a computer. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for cable/connector carrier that directly connects a high speed external cables to an internal connector on a midplane in a computer chassis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern computer systems are able to manipulate data at very high speeds. However, if data is unable to get into and out of the computer, this computing speed is of little value. Therefore, high speed interfaces (using high frequency for increased bandwidth) are common on most modern computers. Such interfaces handle data either in serial or parallel fashion. There are many such interface protocols known to those skilled in the art of computers, and such interfaces will not be itemized here.
Many modern computer systems, and particularly servers, utilize a blade configuration, such as depicted in FIG. 1 as a server blade computer 100. Server blade computer 100 offers high-density server boards (blades 102) in a single server blade chassis (blade center chassis 104). Server blade chassis 104 includes multiple hot-swappable server blades 102a–n connected on a midplane 106. Midplane 106 is a backplane, mounted in the middle of server blade chassis 104, that contains circuitry and sockets into which additional electronic devices or cards, including server blades 102, can be plugged.
There are typically fourteen server blades 102 in server blade chassis 104. The operations of server blades 102 are coordinated by logic identified as management module 108, which includes a processor (not shown) for controlling input/output (I/O) functions, controlling a power supply 116, interfacing with networks (such as the Internet or a Local Area Network), and allocating jobs and data to the different server blades 102.
Each server blade 102 includes a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) 110, which provides an interface between the server blade 102 and the midplane 106. Coupled to the BMC 110 is a Central Processing Unit (CPU) 112, which is preferably multiple processors in a same partition. Coupled to CPU 112 is a system memory 114, which typically includes a primary and a backup system memory, which may be a DIMM, SIMM, or any similar volatile memory. For purposes of clarity, only components for server blade 102a are shown, each labeled with an “a” suffix. It is understood that each of the server blades 102 have similar components as those shown for server blade 102a. 
As described above, management module 108 can control input/output operations, including those between the midplane 106 and an input/output (I/O) card 118. The I/O card 118 provides both a logical and a physical interface between midplane 106 and a back 120 of server blade chassis 104. That is, I/O card 118 connects to midplane 106 via a midplane connector 122a, and I/O card has a male coupler 124 for connecting to an external female coupler 126 on back 120. As external female coupler 126 terminates an external cable 128, then data is allowed to be input/output via the external cable 128.
However, I/O card 118 often is often strictly limiting as to the signal length (due to bandwidth) that it can route to external female coupler 126a via male coupler 124a. Therefore, an internal cable 130 must often be used to connect midplane 106 to an external female coupler 126b and an external cable 128b via a male coupler 124b as depicted. Serious disadvantages of internal cable 128 are that it is expensive, it adds an extra interconnect for a signal from midplane 106 that can adversely affect signal quality, and it is physically difficult to access midplane 106 to plug a midplane connector 122b into midplane 106.
What is needed, therefore, is a system for connecting an external cable directly into a midplane, preferably mating with an existing midplane female connector.